Spousal Assaulters in Outpatient Mental Health Care: The Relevance of Structured Risk Assessment

Abstract

This study examined whether a typology of perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) could be replicated in a Dutch sample ( N = 154) of self-referred IPV perpetrators using a structured risk assessment tool for relational violence (Brief Spousal Assault Form for the Evaluation of Risk [B-SAFER]). Our findings support the previous IPV perpetrator subtypes: low-level antisocial (LLA), family only (FO), psychopathology (PP), and generally violent/antisocial (GVA). The subtypes differed on the descriptive dimensions general criminality, substance use, and mental health problems. The prevalence rates for each subtype were roughly comparable with those in previous studies. Contrary to expectation, the prevalence of the GVA subtype was relatively high in our self-referred sample compared with court-referred samples. Our findings suggest that structured risk assessment should be an integral part of the intake procedure for IPV perpetrators entering treatment, to assess their level of risk and to arrive at a tailored risk management strategy, regardless of setting or referral source.

Family-Only Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review

“…Overall, the reviewed studies consistently demonstrated that family-only perpetrators used low levels of physical and psychological IPV (Babcock et al, 2008; Chiffriller & Hennessy, 2006; Cunha & Gonçalves, 2013; Delsol et al, 2003; Huss & Langhinrichsen-Rohling, 2006; Huss & Ralston, 2008; Johnson & Goodlin-Fahncke, 2015; Serie, van Tilburg, van Dam, & de Ruiter, 2015; Stoops, Bennett, & Vincent, 2010; Waltz et al, 2000). Such perpetrators also demonstrated low levels of sexual coercion toward their partners (Chiffriller & Hennessy, 2006; Graña et al, 2014).…”

“…Furthermore, family-only perpetrators rarely inflicted injury to their partner (Graña et al, 2014). These perpetrators were also described as evidencing low levels of general violence (Babcock et al, 2008; Chiffriller & Hennessy, 2006; Delsol et al, 2003; Holtzworth-Munroe et al, 2000; Huss & Langhinrichsen-Rohling, 2006; Huss & Ralston, 2008; Johnson & Goodlin-Fahncke, 2015; Serie et al, 2015; Waltz et al, 2000).…”

“…Serie et al (2015) reported that family-only perpetrators demonstrated low levels of general criminality.…”

“…Family-only perpetrators reportedly displayed low levels of paranoia and paranoid ideation (Cunha & Gonçalves, 2013; Johnson et al, 2006; Langhinrichsen-Rohling et al, 2000; Lawson et al, 2003), schizophrenia (Langhinrichsen-Rohling et al, 2000; Lawson et al, 2003), schizoidal–asocial traits (Hamberger et al, 1996), hypomania (Langhinrichsen-Rohling et al, 2000; Lawson et al, 2003), and low levels of psychopathology (including delusional traits) in general (Chiffriller & Hennessy, 2006; Johnson & Goodlin-Fahncke, 2015; Serie et al, 2015).…”

Characteristics and recidivism in relation to arrest: differentiating between partner violent perpetrator subtypes

“…The B-SAFER has been reported to have good to excellent interrater reliability and predictive validity (e.g. Gerbrandij, Rosenfeld, Nijdam-Jones, & Galietta, 2018;Serie, van Tilburg, van Dam, & de Ruiter, 2015), as well as shown valid and reliable results for the Swedish police (Belfrage & Strand, 2008;Storey, Kropp, Hart, Belfrage, & Strand, 2014).…”